East of Pulmo Reef Sea of Cortez 27 March 2010
After a long and stressful day of being shuffled around by bureaucrats, we managed to acquire all the legal paperwork to exit Mexico including a nice frameable certificate that would make a kindergartner proud. Strange but none of our bureaucrats cared that we left the U.S.; they’re more concerned with the entry side of the coming and going equation in the U.S. Silver Lining even had a full health inspection to verify that we were not kidnapping any Mexican cockroaches or rats. The Mexican health officials didn’t seem to care about diseases the crew might be carrying, and if they’d found any beasts I doubt they would have made us stay, but the expensive inspection was a requirement to get our “Zarpe” (that nice certificate). My modus operandi has always been to do everything above board, legal and by the book, but I’ll admit that I was pushed as close as I’ve ever been to stepping over that line and just sailing away without the Zarpe. Frank was far over the line, and at one point we even had the cab driver go around the block twice so I could fully contemplate that line, before stopping to pay the fee for the health inspection at the finance minister’s office (our 6th stop of 10 to complete the process).
So around noon on Friday we headed North out of La Paz, spent one last night in Espritu Santo before beginning our southern decent as scheduled on Frank’s Birthday and our anniversary – 46 and 16 years respectively. And adding to this auspicious beginning – we received news last night that Marsha can officially add “Grand” to her title GrandMarsh has a nice ring to it! Congrats to the whole family! Thrilled to hear that all are healthy, and that he picked such a special day to be born!
We spent one last night at anchor, slept the sleep of the dead at Los Muertos, then up at the crack of dawn this morning to catch a healthy northerly blow south. 2800 Miles to go before I sleep – well before I sleep that soundly again. From the bay of the dead to the bay of traitors*, are we moving up in the world or down? Frank says, up in longitude, down in latitude.” I hope your own ups and downs are keeping you on your toes and ready for life.
xoxomo
*Los Muertos – La Baie des Traitres
P.S. To all our newfound friends we met and left in La Paz, sorry for the very quick goodbye, hope your own fair winds follow along with you, and we’ll keep an eye out for your boats on some future horizon. Best! -SL and crew